HALCYON [Minamoto Teru]

THE END

IF FATE STARTED OFF AS A SINGULAR THREAD, THEY FRAYED THAT THREAD TO NO RELENTS. Every fiber, every tether, they were just young kids living life for what seemed to be the first time. Although he was accompanied by a witch that lived her life over and over .. even she had lesser knowledge on how to be alive than he did.

And so, they made their way through people, through the farshore and nearshore .. and at last, all the loose ends came over the fire to furl its ends together.

The black cat that wandered for decades, centuries, looking for a way to end her redundant life had finally found a home. Her home that was as warm as the sun, as brilliant as a star, as loving as the sun could be to the earth.

"Someone once told me a few lives ago .. that the moon was forever in an unrequited love, revolving around the earth while the earth revolved around the sun .. and the sun that was at the center of it all." The ring on her finger glistened a bit as she stroked the fur of the black cat that was still and lifeless, having passed away on sidewalk of old age after spending its entire life wandering around without a home.

"But despite knowing that, the moon never stopped loving, waiting patiently until she could outshine the rest of the stars."

"And one day .. a solar eclipse happened and the moon and the sun came face to face .. and the sun fell in love with the moon."

She let out a long sigh. "So, as the moon .. I promise you'll be loved in your next life." Gently, Nora picked up the stray into her arms. From head to toe, she was drenched from the torrential downpour. The droplets were so large they felt like small scrapes against her bare skin.

Suddenly, the rain stopped and she looked up, an umbrella that covered the sky towered by a man with eyes as empyrean blue as it. "Did I make you wait?"

"Not for very long." Softly, the woman replied. He took notice of the dead animal in her arms and helped her stand up, taking off his coat and draping it over the two strays. "Let's go home, we'll bury him under the wisteria tree."

Just as he stumbled upon a black cat many moons ago in the rain .. she did as well. The past and the present, even the future began to overlap. It'd been ten years since then — ten years since that red thread that led them together began to knot and stretch.

It stretched through life, beyond death and into the next life.

They put the small dwindled life of the forgiven black cat into a wooden box, digging a hole and covering it back up. The witch ignored the mud that splattered over her yukata and the feeling of dirt under her fingernails. "I'm a very fortunate person." She suddenly spoke as he crouched down, umbrella still in hand.

"Even when you're married to me?" The twenty one year old mused, hoping to see a small smile form on her lips. He seemed to be a bit hopeful as she did chuckle. At least they were getting somewhere. "Yes, even when I'm married to you, that may be the most contradictory thing in my life."